Travel-mad Zoe Macfarlane shares her life on the road as a digital nomad, this week she comes to you with some great advice on what to do with only two days in The Lion City, Singapore.
If you’re planning a trip to Singapore, you’ll know that for a small country, it packs a huge punch! With only 48-hours to capture the city’s highlights, Zoe shares how she jammed in the sights, lights, and bites of Singapore.
Day One
Orientation Day
There are walking cities and there are cities you can walk around. Singapore is the latter. Unless you’re gung-ho on your walking routine, opt instead for the Duck Tours Hop-On-Hop-Off buses so you can get your bearings, get to grips with the city’s history, and figure out where to return later.
Know Your Environment
Postcards of Singapore may look like a fancy-schmancy concrete jungle but that’s far from the reality. In fact, there’s a tropical rainforest located in the city limits. Check it out at the 74-hectare Singapore Botanic Gardens.
If viewing 10,000 plants at the Botanic Gardens sounds too much in the Singapore humidity, consider a nighttime visit to Gardens by the Bay. Close to the iconic Marina Bay Sands, watch the grounds come alive twice nightly for the acclaimed Garden Rhapsody light and sound show.
In Good Taste
If there is one aspect of Singapore that will make you declare true love, it’s the food – as long as you know where to find the best eats that is. Getting to grips with where the best neighbourhood gems are can be challenging. Once located, consider yourself holding the keys to the city.
If you’d like to sample the most iconic local dishes over three hours, consider the Singabites Katong Evening Tour where bites of history are accompanied by bites of Singapore’s tastiest morsels. Expect to be carried to a cab at the end.
Day Two
Duck Tales
Duck Tours also offer those quirky looking land-to-sea vehicles. Perfect, as many of Singapore’s postcard-worthy monuments and buildings are best seen from the river. Travelling aboard an amphibious vehicle is arguably the most fun way to take in the Merlion, Marina Bay Sands, and the cool DNA-inspired pedestrian bridge.
Shop ‘Til You Drop
Singapore’s Orchard Road shopping district is a well known for its designer brands and cutesy fashion boutiques but did you know there are a few outlets around the island to save your bucks at? Velocity houses sporting goods, Changi City Point is close to the airport, but IMM is considered the best stocked with lowest prices.
Satay Up All Night
Wind up your trip with the heady scents of the outdoor hawker centre at Lau Pa Sat. Don’t miss out on the satay sticks or noodle dishes as you wander the myriad of stalls, and avoid table wars by knowing that tissues on a table mean it’s reserved.
Your Urban Oasis
Selecting a hotel that is close to the action without any nighttime commotion can be challenging. Thankfully, Lloyd’s Inn, a boutique property close to Orchard Road has a tranquil rainforest-meets-minimalist vibe and décor. The indoor-outdoor shower is a cool touch, as is the off-site breakfast options, including Killiney Kopitiam’s delectable laksa.
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